Two Australian retail chains have eliminated movie game Grand Theft Auto V from sale in its stores, following complaints about the depiction of violence towards women.

Target and Kmart stores pulled the game after a petition launched by three female survivors of violence gained more than 40,000 signatures.

Target said the decision “was in line with the majority view of customers”.

Some fans of the game accused the stores of censorship.

The decision was made after three women set up a petition on switch.org urging Target to withdraw the game.

“It’s a game that encourages players to murder women for entertainment. The incentive is to commit sexual violence against women, then manhandle or kill them to proceed or get ‘health’ points,” the petition reads.

“To see this violence that we lived through turned into a form of entertainment is sickening and causes us fine agony and harm.”

It goes on to say that games like GTA five are “grooming yet another generation of boys to tolerate violence against women”.

A rival petition was launched soon after, urging the stores to proceed sales.

“This game may permit you to kill, hurt, bash and shoot anyone not just females and this game should be on the shelves all over the country. It’s made for adults not children, we have the right to buy games despite their content,” said Brett Herbert, who launched the petition.

Customer feedback

Jim Cooper, general manager of corporate affairs at Target, said that the decision to withdraw the game had not been taken lightly.

“We’ve been speaking to many customers over latest days about the game and there is a significant level of concern about the game’s content,” he said in a statement.

“We’ve also had customer feedback in support of us selling the game, and we respect their perspective on the issue.

“However, we feel the decision to stop selling GTA five is in line with the majority view of our customers.”

Target Australia posted on its Facebook page the news it was withdrawing the game and instantaneously received thousands of comments, many of them criticising the decision.

Kmart also determined to pull the game – both it and Target are possessed by the retail group Wesfarmers.

Strippers and hookers

Set in the fictional city of Los Santos, Grand Theft Auto V permits gamers to control three criminals as they rampage through the town committing a series of crimes.

The game, developed by UK-based Rockstar North, was released a year ago and was instantly criticised for the levels of violence, particularly for its depictions of torment and the way it often portrays women as strippers and hookers

It carries an eighteen certificate in the UK and an equivalent R18+ rating in Australia.

Despite criticisms about its content, it became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, passing $1bn of sales in the very first three days. It has also won thirty three awards.